2013 Draft grades

 

Welcome to the 2013 Draft grades, this year I will hand out grades after the draft. There's so much we don't know about the teams and how these players will fit with their respective teams. In other words, these grades are subjective and unfair. In truth, you can't grade a draft for at least two years.

So why do it? Because it gives us a great opportunity to get an instant reaction on the future of every team in the league. What I write today won't be the definitive word on this draft, but it's a great way to start the conversation.

Here's our take on how every team in the league did Thursday night:

ATLANTA HAWKS | GRADE: C

Round 1: Lucas Nogueira (16), Dennis Schroeder (17)

Round 2: Mike Muscala (44), Raul Neto (47)

Analysis: Nogueira and Schroeder have upside. Nogueira can develop into an effective rim protector, and Schroeder is quick, athletic and tenacious on both ends. But both players appear to be several years from being serious contributors at the NBA level.

BOSTON CELTICS | GRADE: B+

Round 1: Kelly Olynyk (13)

Round 2: Colton Iverson (53)

Analysis: It could get ugly real fast for Celtics fans. Although I haven't been a huge fan of Olynyk, I think he can stick in the league in the right style of play as long as his coach doesn't try to turn him into a center. He can hit shots and get to the rim, although he'll also play some matador defense.

BROOKLYN NETS | GRADE: B

Round 1: Mason Plumlee (22)

Analysis: On top of that, they kept their 2013 first-round pick and landed Plumlee, the most athletic big in the draft not named Noel. Plumlee slid because of his age; had he been 19 or 20 years old, he would've been a lottery pick. But at 22, teams question how much upside he has. He runs the floor and finishes high above the rim, but he probably will be relegated to spot minutes in a backup role.

CHARLOTTE BOBCATS | GRADE: C

Round 1: Cody Zeller (4)

Analysis: I like Zeller's NBA potential, but this pick was a major reach. Zeller is athletic and was probably underrated, but he'll have to change his game dramatically to succeed in the NBA, and no one knows whether he'll pull it off. Shooting jumpers in workouts is one thing. In an NBA game, it's another.

CHICAGO BULLS | GRADE: C-

Round 1: Tony Snell (20)

Round 2: Erik Murphy (49)

Analysis: The Bulls really wanted a swingman and selected Snell, a workout wonder. Because Reggie Bullock, Allen Crabbe and Tim Hardaway Jr. were on the board, all three of whom have better track records, I was a little surprised that Snell was the pick. He might have more upside, but his lack of consistency on both ends is concerning. The Bulls filled a need, but I don't think they got the best guy to do it.

CLEVELAND CAVALIERS | GRADE: B+

Round 1: Anthony Bennett (1), Sergey Karasev (19)

Round 2: Carrick Felix (33)

Analysis: The Cavs kept everyone in suspense for six weeks. They talked trades with everyone. They wrung their hands over whom to take. And then they shocked just about everyone by taking Bennett with the No. 1 pick. I understand the reasoning. Cleveland wanted a pick-and-roll partner for Kyrie Irving. Bennett has the potential to be a 20-and-10 guy, perhaps the only one in the draft.

DALLAS MAVERICKS | GRADE: B-

Round 1: Shane Larkin (18)

Round 2: Ricky Ledo (43)

Analysis: The prospects they landed are both solid. Larkin has the skills to be an NBA point guard -- the question will be: Does he have the size? Ledo has the skills to be a terrific scoring wing -- the question will be: Will he show more maturity than he has in the past?

Of the two, it's Ledo who has the better chance to be special. If the Mavs nurture him, he could be this year's Lance Stephenson.

DENVER NUGGETS | GRADE: C

Round 1: None

Round 2: Erick Green (46), Joffrey Lauvergne (55)

DETROIT PISTONS | GRADE: B

Round 1: Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (8)

Round 2: Tony Mitchell (37), Peyton Siva (56)

Analysis: I do like Caldwell-Pope. He can shoot, has a high basketball IQ and has a lot of defensive potential. Although he doesn't fit a need, I think the Pistons felt he was the best player available and they would solve the point guard conundrum some other way.

At No. 37, they walked away with one of the most physically talented players in the draft. Mitchell was a disappointment this past season at North Texas, but his athleticism, length and rebounding suggest that in the right role, such as coming off the bench behind Greg Monroe, he could be fantastic.

GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS | GRADE: B-

Round 1: Nemanja Nedovic (30)

Analysis: The player they ended up with is interesting. Nedovic is an athletic combo guard who some scouts think will be an absolute stud in the NBA. The Warriors needed a fourth guard behind Steph Curry, Klay Thompson and Jarrett Jack (if he returns). Nedovic is probably not a draft-and-stash player. They'll bring him into the Summer League and give him a shot to win a spot on the team.

HOUSTON ROCKETS | GRADE: B+

Round 2: Isaiah Canaan (34)

Analysis: The Rockets also didn't have a first-round pick but essentially got one anyway at No. 34. Canaan might have been the fourth-best point guard in the draft, and I think Houston got great value. Canaan isn't a pure point, but he's a great athlete and a dominant scorer who can really shoot the ball.

INDIANA PACERS | GRADE: D-

Round 1: Solomon Hill (23)

LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS | GRADE: B+

Round 1: Reggie Bullock (25)

Analysis: The Clippers wanted a wing who can shoot and got great value at No. 25. Bullock will fill a role for the Clippers as a 3-point specialist, and he can play some defense. In those regards, his best comparison might be Danny Green of the Spurs.

LOS ANGELES LAKERS | GRADE: B+

Round 2: Ryan Kelly (48)

Analysis: I'm not sure I'm in love with Kelly as a prospect in general. But Kelly on a Mike D'Antoni team? I can get excited about that. Kelly's ability to shoot the rock, handle it and play point power forward at times should make him a perfect fit in D'Antoni's system. I'm not predicting Kelly will be a star, but his chances for success go up dramatically under D'Antoni's watch.

MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES | GRADE: A

Round 2: Jamaal Franklin (41), Janis Timma (60)

Analysis: Franklin was ranked 19th on my Big Board yet somehow managed to land in the Grizzlies' lap at No. 41. I'm stunned. To me, he's Tony Allen 2.0 -- an aggressive, long wing who can do a bit of everything. I love this pick.

MIAMI HEAT | GRADE: B-

Round 2: James Ennis (50)

Analysis: The Heat traded into the second round to grab Ennis, a long, athletic wing who was one of the sleepers in the draft. I was really impressed with his play at the Brooklyn workout and think that, in the right environment, he has a chance to stick. A solid pick at No. 50.

MILWAUKEE BUCKS | GRADE: Inc.

Round 1: Giannis Antetokounmpo (15)

Round 2: Nate Wolters (38)

Analysis: Give the Bucks credit: They aren't afraid to take a chance.

MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES | GRADE: B-

Round 1: Shabazz Muhammad (14), Gorgui Dieng (21)

Round 2: Lorenzo Brown (52), Bojan Dubljevic (59)

Analysis: While the Wolves walked away with talent, I'm not sure that anyone they drafted on Thursday night moves the needle much.

NEW ORLEANS PELICANS | GRADE: B+

Round 2: Pierre Jackson (42)

Analysis: I question this decision. Noel was the top-rated player on our Big Board and has more upside than Holiday. New Orleans also lost a valuable a##et, a probable lottery pick in the 2014 draft, which will feature a collection of talent that looks amazing on paper. In fact, the Pelicans were the only team in the NBA to give away a 2014 first-round pick.

NEW YORK KNICKS | GRADE: C

Round 1: Tim Hardaway Jr. (24)

Analysis: The Knicks got name recognition on Thursday, but unfortunately, Hardaway Jr. is no Hardaway Sr. I'm not sure that his talent allows him to have a ceiling any higher than rotation player.

OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER | GRADE: B+

Round 1: Steven Adams (12), Andre Roberson (26)

Round 2: Alex Abrines (32), Grant Jerrett (40)

Analysis: The Thunder got a little bit of everything on Thursday.

Want upside? Adams has a ton of it, with great NBA size and strength and the ability to shut people down in the paint. If his offensive game comes around, he could be really good.

Want rebounds? Roberson was one of the two or three best rebounders in the draft -- an athletic specialist who might carve out a Reggie Evans-esque career.

Want a scorer? Abrines has a chance to be a better version of Rudy Fernandez if OKC is patient. Want shooting? Jerrett has the ability to be a lethal stretch 4.

ORLANDO MAGIC | GRADE: A-

Round 1: Victor Oladipo (2)

Round 2: Romero Osby (51)

Analysis: Oladipo was my favorite player in the draft. Not only is he, in my opinion, a sure thing, but he still has upside, too. He'll bring it every hour of every day for a young, impressionable team.

PHILADELPHIA 76ERS | GRADE: A+

Round 1: Nerlens Noel (6), Michael Carter-Williams (11)

Round 2: Arsalan Kazemi (54)

Analysis: It cost him All-Star point guard Jrue Holiday, but in the long run it may be worth the price. With Noel possibly missing some time next season, the Sixers likely will be in the hunt for the No. 1 pick in 2014. By next July, this team could have four young players with franchise potential on its roster. In three years, it could be wicked good.

PHOENIX SUNS | GRADE: B-

Round 1: Alex Len (5), Archie Goodwin (29)

Round 2: Alex Oriakhi (57)

Analysis: Len has upside, but he's coming off stress-fracture surgery, and in two years at Maryland he showed only flashes of greatness -- he rarely could sustain it. Len was the riskiest pick of the consensus top six, and Phoenix pa##ed on two better prospects -- Noel and McLemore -- to take him.

PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS | GRADE: A

Round 1: C.J. McCollum (10)

Round 2: Allen Crabbe (31), Jeff Withey (39), Marko Todorovic (45)

Analysis: The Blazers had coveted McCollum for a while and think he's a great fit in the backcourt next to rookie of the year point guard Damian Lillard, who thrived when he played off the ball last season. Portland sees McCollum as a guard who can play both positions, too.

Crabbe is a shooter with ridiculous range, and he isn't afraid to let it fly.

SACRAMENTO KINGS | GRADE: A-

Round 1: Ben McLemore (7)

Round 2: Ray McCallum (36)

Analysis: The Kings wanted athleticism and shooting at the 2, and McLemore is a great fit. He has the chance, with hard work and greater confidence, to be the best player in the draft.

SAN ANTONIO SPURS | GRADE: C

Round 1: Livio Jean-Charles (28)

Round 2: Deshaun Thomas (58)

TORONTO RAPTORS | GRADE: N/A

Round 1: None

Round 2: None

UTAH JAZZ | GRADE: B+

Round 1: Trey Burke (9), Rudy Gobert (27)

Analysis: Everyone knew coming into the draft that the Jazz were hunting for a point guard. On Thursday they packaged the Nos. 14 and 21 picks to move up five spots to grab Burke, the college player of the year. With Burke they get a floor general who can excel equally at scoring and getting others involved.

WASHINGTON WIZARDS | GRADE: A

Round 1: Otto Porter (3)

Round 2: Glen Rice Jr. (35)

Analysis: The Wizards had one of the easier paths of any team in this draft. Porter was the perfect fit as both a player and person for the franchise. Although his upside might not be as high as that of some others in the draft, he also is the most well-rounded, NBA-ready player of the group. He should contribute right away in D.C.

Rice was also a great pick. He led his team to a D-League championship and won MVP. He's a bit of a tweener, but his athleticism and shooting ability make him a potential spark plug off the bench.

What do you think for the grades of your team from the 2013 draft grades?